


I'll Be Home For Christmas

by snarkymuch



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, Spider-Man (Tom Holland Movies)
Genre: Christmas Fluff, Family Fluff, Gen, Happy Gets Decorated Too, I Feel Like This Level Of Fluff Needs A Warning, Irondad Secret Santa 2019, Not Avengers: Endgame (Movie) Compliant, Tony Stark Decorates For Christmas, Tony Stark Lives, Tony Stark is Good With Kids, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, You'll Need A Dentist After Reading
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-26
Updated: 2019-12-26
Packaged: 2021-02-25 23:20:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,330
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21783583
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/snarkymuch/pseuds/snarkymuch
Summary: May gets called away for work, and Tony steps in to make sure Peter isn't alone for Christmas. Harley, Morgan, and Peter being adorable kids, and Tony being a great dad.
Relationships: Peter Parker & Tony Stark
Comments: 6
Kudos: 113
Collections: Iron Dad Secret Santa 2019





	I'll Be Home For Christmas

**Author's Note:**

  * For [KayAliHasTooManyFandoms](https://archiveofourown.org/users/KayAliHasTooManyFandoms/gifts).



> This is my Irondad Secret Santa gift for: weirdkid-intheback. They asked for Pepper and Tony watching the boys with Morgan. but I made it Christmas themed.

Peter was eating his cereal Christmas Eve morning when May’s phone rang in the other room. He listened as she answered. She was short with whoever it was, arguing that she’d put in for Christmas off three months in advance. There was a beat of silence, and then May sighed, agreeing she’d be in by two. Peter's heart sank. He tried to keep the disappointment off his face when she walked into the room.

May walked up beside him, putting a hand on his neck and leaning down to kiss his head.

“You heard, didn't you?” she asked, twirling a piece of his hair.

“Yeah, but it's okay. I know you don't have a choice.”

“The last thing I want is to leave you alone at Christmas. You shouldn't have to be, not after everything that's happened.”

Peter shook his head, glancing up at her. “Really, it's fine. I'll probably just sleep in and watch a movie.”

She pursed her lips, studying his face before dropping her shoulders. “Okay, but call me in the morning—call me if you need anything. I just hate this.”

“I will,” Peter said. “Like I said, I'll probably just sleep in.” 

He tried to smile, but he doubted it reached his eyes. He might have said the words, but he really didn't mean them. He didn't want to be alone. 

A few hours later, May was out the door, and Peter collapsed on the couch, staring at their tree, mismatched ornaments and colored lights cluttering its branches. They’d decorated it together just after Thanksgiving. He never thought at the time he’d be celebrating without--not that he was celebrating. He was miserable. She’d been gone an hour, and he already missed her. 

Grabbing the remote, he moved to turn on the TV only to be interrupted by a ping from his phone. He paused, pulling it from his pocket and looking at the screen. He frowned. It was a text from Tony. 

Unlocking his phone, he scanned it: _Merry Christmas, kid_. It was followed by a photo of Tony and Morgan building a gingerbread house—or maybe a mansion would be a better description. Reindeers made of pretzels and gumdrops stood on the roof, and something that looked a lot like a gingerbread DUM_E stood on the front lawn. It made Peter smile. 

He quickly replied, wishing Tony and his family a Merry Christmas, too, attaching a picture of their tree. 

Peter set the phone down on his knee after hitting send, and he looked at the tree again. His heart ached. He could remember a time when he did things like that with Ben and May, and even faintly, with his parents. He tried to reassure himself that he'd be fine, but he knew it wasn’t the truth. He curled up on the couch, dragging the throw pillow under his head, and hoped to sleep. That seemed better than watching Christmas movies alone.

The sound of AC/DC blaring from his phone woke him up a few hours later. He groggily felt around for his phone, dragging it to his face when he found it. He knew from the ringtone it was Tony, but the Iron Man helmet on the screen confirmed it. His face scrunched as he tried to figure out why the man was calling. 

Rubbing the heel of his hand against his eye, he yawned and answered the call. 

“Mr. Stark?” 

“Why didn’t you say something?” Tony asked by way of greeting. 

“Huh?”

“Don’t huh me. Your aunt called and guess what she told me? That you were alone for Christmas, and you didn't call to tell me.”

A frown wrinkled Peter’s forehead. “Why did she call you? Not that I’m upset, but I don’t understand.”

“Because you’re alone, and you shouldn’t be. Happy’s already on his way. He should be there any minute, so get your stuff.”

“Wait, what?”

He heard Tony sigh. “You’re coming to my house. Morgan is ecstatic that her big brother will be here for Christmas morning. Harley is already here.”

“Harley’s there, too?”

“His mom and sister won a trip to the Caribbean. He didn't want to go, so he called me instead. Did you catch that part? He called me when he was alone for Christmas.”

Peter rolled his eyes. “I get it. I should have called. Sorry, Mr. Stark. I just didn't want to intrude.”

“Seriously, kid, we love having you. You’re not intruding.”

There was a knock at the door, and Peter stood, going to answer. “I think Happy is here.”

“Good, get your things. We’ll see you soon.”

Peter answered the door to find Happy, frowning on the other side. He had a blinking pair of antlers on his head. Before Peter could ask, Happy gestured to them.

“Tony really gets into the holidays. I made the mistake of standing still too long, and he decorated me.”

Peter laughed. “They look great. Very festive.”

“Get your things. I want to beat traffic, though I think it’s too late for that. I was stuck on the bridge for an hour.”

When he got out to the car, he saw there was a red nose on the hood, and the mirrors were had antlers sticking up from them. Happy didn’t make a comment, just shook his head and ushered Peter in the car. 

The ride took longer than usual. Everyone seemed to be heading somewhere. Happy grumbled and cursed at the traffic, his antlers blinking in time to the Christmas music on the radio, making him look like Rudolph with road rage. 

It was dark when they reached the cabin, but it only highlighted the insane amount of lights on the house. There was Christmas music playing outside, and the lights blinked along with it in a choreographed display. Peter smiled to himself. This was something he missed living in an apartment.

Walking through the door, he was greeted by Morgan, barreling into his legs and wrapping her arms around him. 

“Petey!” she exclaimed. “You have to come see our tree, and we made a gingerbread house and cookies that look like DUM-E, and Harley is here and—”

“Breathe,” Peter laughed, ruffling her hair. 

Tony appeared behind her, a lighted Christmas sweater of a llama wearing a Santa hat blinking at Peter. 

“Hey, kid, about time you got here. We are about to make some hot chocolate and watch a Christmas movie together.”

A hand touched his shoulder, and he turned to see Happy lugging Peter’s backpack in behind him. 

“Go on, kid. I’ll take your things to your room.”

“Since when do I have a room?”

Tony shrugged, rubbing the back of his neck with his prosthetic arm. He'd built it shortly after the final battle. It worked like the real thing.

“Technically, I set aside a room for you when we bought the place, but you’ve just never had a reason to use it.”

Peter swallowed hard with a tight nod at the reminder of the years he’d lost and the ensuing battle.

Morgan grabbed his hand, tugging him toward the kitchen. 

“Come on, Peter.” She dragged out his name. “Harley is already into the marshmallows, and if we don’t stop him soon, he’ll eat them all.”

Peter laughed. “Oh, no! Okay, let’s go save the marshmallows.”

Peter let Morgan drag him to the kitchen, Tony close behind. Harley was sitting on the center island, eating Marshmallows out of the bag. He grinned when he saw them approach. 

Morgan ran for Harley, jumping as she tried to snatch the bag from his hands. “Don’t eat them all. We need them for the hot chocolate.”

Tony walked around to the fridge, getting out a carton of milk. He looked over his shoulder at Harley. 

“Since when do we sit on the counter, mister?” Tony asked.

Harley shrugged, taking one last marshmallow from the bag and handing the rest to Morgan. “The chair had stuff in it.”

Tony looked at him, rolling his eyes, and grabbed a pan, walking to the stove. “I’m not saving you from Pepper if she sees you.”

“Point, old man.” And with that, Harley hopped off the counter. He tipped his head at Peter. “Hey, kid, how’s the spider life?”

Peter raised a brow. “Kid? We’re almost the same age. You’ve been hanging out with Tony too much.”

Harley shrugged. “I’m still older, so how’s the web-slinging going?”

“Good, just doing the usual—stopped a few muggings, a few grand theft bicycles.”

Tony piped up from the stove. “He got tangled in his own web last week and needed me to come save him.”

Harley snorted. “I hope there’s a video.”

Morgan giggled. “Daddy has it on his phone. He showed me.”

“Mr. Stark,” Peter whined, feeling his cheeks pink. “That’s so not cool.”

Tony laughed. “What? I can’t be proud of my kids?”

Peter rolled his eyes. “Like you don’t already have enough embarrassing footage of me.”

“Your Thor impersonations are priceless.”

A mischievous smile spread across Harley’s face. “I’ve got to see those.”

Peter shook his head. “Nope, we are not watching those.”

Morgan held up the marshmallows like Thor’s hammer and scowled adorably. “It is, I, Thor, son of Odin!” And then she broke down in giggles, clutching the bag of marshmallows to her stomach.

Harley pressed his hands together, looking to Tony. “Please, I need this in my life.”

Tony shook his head, laughing. “As much as I want to embarrass him, that’s cruel and usual.”

Peter’s shoulders sagged in relief. “Thanks, Mr. Stark.”

Tony stirred the chocolate into the hot milk and then filled their mugs. Pepper strolled into the kitchen, pressing a kiss to Tony’s temple before taking one of the cups for herself. 

“Hey, kids, Peter,” she greeted. “I’m glad you could join us.”

“Thanks, it was really nice of you to invite me,” Peter said.

She tilted her head, a small smile on her lips. “You’re family, just as much as Morgan and Harley.”

Warmth spread through Peter’s chest. “Thanks, I think of you guys like family, too.”

Everyone took their drinks and headed to the living room to watch a movie. When Peter settled down on the couch, the stockings hung on the mantle caught his eye. Right next to Morgan’s hung one with a spider emblem stitched into it. They really did think of him as one of their own. It made him feel loved, but at the same time, he missed May. It didn’t seem right to celebrate without her.

They watched Elf, much to Morgan’s delight. By the end, Morgan was starting to drift, but she was still awake enough to make sure a plate of cookies was out for Santa before going to bed. 

Harley showed Peter to the room they were sharing, and after shooting off a text to May, Peter tried to sleep. 

Except he couldn’t. 

Harley snored, the clock ticked, and Peter couldn’t stop worrying whether May would be alright without him. They’d always spent Christmas together, and this was the first one since Thanos.

Unable to contain his nerves, he carefully climbed out of bed and tiptoed through the hall and then down the stairs. 

The lights were all off except for the glow of the tree, so he assumed everyone was sleeping, but when he rounded the corner to the living room, he paused. The presents were all set out under the tree, and Tony sat with his feet up on the coffee table as he ate the cookies Morgan had left out. 

The floor creaked under Peter’s foot, and Tony looked up, confusion touching his brow before he settled on a warm smile.

“Can’t sleep?”

Peter shrugged, closing the distance and taking a seat beside Tony on the couch. He looked at the plate of cookies. There were two left. Chocolate chip. Peter’s favorite. 

Tony nodded to the plate. “Eat up. I need to finish these before I can go to bed.”

Peter took a cookie and nibbled it, looking over the piles of gifts under the tree. 

“What’s on your mind?” Tony asked, taking another cookie. 

Peter frowned. “I guess I just miss May. We’re normally together for Christmas. It doesn’t feel right without her.”

Tony reached over and put a hand on Peter’s shoulder, squeezing gently. “I spoke to her earlier. She was worried you’d be upset. Good thing I pulled some strings, then.”

Peter’s brows pulled together. “What’d you do?”

Tony drew a breath. “She may or may not be in the guest room with Happy.”

“Seriously?” 

Tony nodded. “She got in an hour ago. She’ll be exhausted in the morning, but she’s where she belongs. You guys are like family to us. Merry Christmas, Kid.”

Peter set the cookie down on the coffee table and launched into Tony’s arms. Tony caught him, one hand on his back and the other cradling his head. 

“Thank you so much, Mr. Stark.”

Peter felt him press a kiss to his hair. 

“You’re a good kid, Peter. You, Harley, Morgan—you guys mean the world to me. I’d do anything for you. Pulling a few strings at the hospital was the least I could do.”

Peter pulled back. “I should get to bed. There’s something I need to fix before we open presents tomorrow.”

Later that night, Peter took a Sharpie and made the necessary changes to Tony’s gift. 

After the presents were opened the next morning, Peter saw Tony running his fingers over the gift Peter had given him. 

It wasn’t much, but it meant a lot. 

It was a coffee mug that had once said World’s Greatest Superhero, but black marker crossed out the last word, something new written above it. It now read World’s Greatest Dad, and Tony couldn't seem to take his eyes off it. 

It turned out to be one of the best Christmas mornings Peter could remember. There was nothing more he wanted. He finally had his family all in one place. 

**Author's Note:**

> [my tumblr](https://snarky-drabbles.tumblr.com/)


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